Read Online The Bad Girls' Club by Kathryn O'Halloran - Free Book Online Page A

picked up her cigarettes and went back outside.
    Being made over isn ’t a quick process, that’s for sure, or a painless one either. Especially when Beth decided to wax my legs. I don’t know how anyone can voluntarily do that. Imogen came back inside and we all put on honey and oatmeal masques and sat around talking in ‘mmphs’ as the masques hardened. With my head wrapped in Glad Wrap, my scalp itched like crazy. I tried to scratch it but didn’t quite work through the layers of plastic and dye.
    I hoped this wouldn ’t make my hair fall out. I could just see it. I’d wash the dye off, my hair would go down the sink with it, and I’d have to spend the next three months wearing a hat. My hair might be a boring mousy no-colour and kinda frizzy but that was better than no hair at all.
    Beth covered the mirrors in the bathroom so I couldn ’t see myself while she rinsed my hair. When she finished, she gave me some lovely Chanel toiletries to use and left me to shower. I felt a lot better after that, calm and relaxed. I smothered myself with the body lotion, covering my newly smoothed legs with long strokes. Maybe Beth and Imogen were right, maybe they weren’t bad. Although they could do with a bit of a tan.
    Beth was being so nice today. I wanted to give her a big hug. I had never really liked Beth before. She had seemed so stuck up and would carry on and on about her boyfriend, Jeremy, when anyone could see he was a lying snake in the grass. As if that made her someone special. I mean, I had a boyfriend too. Even if he was more interested in his X-Box than my box.
    I snuggled into a big, fluffy robe while Beth did my hair. She and Imogen had changed into their going out clothes so I thought this bit wouldn’t take long. Boy, was I mistaken. It felt like Beth was drying each strand of hair individually.
    ‘ You look great,’ I said to Imogen. She was wearing a black top with swoopy gothic sleeves.
    ‘ She’d have looked better in the halter top,’ said Beth. Whoa, that was a sore point. Beth didn’t like her fashion advice going unheeded.
    Imogen handed me another glass of bubbly, while it felt like Beth was going to pull my hair right out of my head.
    Finally, she turned off the hair dryer. ‘I think I’m done.’
    ‘ Can I see it?’
    ‘ Not yet,’ she said. But Imogen mouthed ‘wow’ behind her back, so I knew it looked OK.
    Beth grabbed the bags of cosmetics. She laid a towel on the kitchen bench then unpacked the boxes and jars onto it. ‘Now, it’s time for your face. And pay attention to what I do so you know what to do yourself.’
    ‘ Yes, Mum.’
    I would never remember how to do all the stuff Beth had done. She seemed to fuss around for hours.
    ‘OK,’ she said with a final flourish of the huge makeup brush. ‘Now, you can get dressed. But no peeking. Go in to the lounge and get dressed in there. And I’ll sort out Imogen while we’re waiting.’
    I unwrapped the black tissue paper from my new underwear – I sure hadn ’t bought underwear that was wrapped in tissue paper before. Usually it was in packs of five from K-Mart. I pulled out the bra – black lace with red ribbon threaded through it, ending in little red bows. It was so delicate; I was scared I’d snag it or tear it.
    The matching g-string cost a fortune for such a teeny bit of fabric but it sure was cute. Imagine – me in a g-string. I slipped it on but it didn ’t feel right. I ran my finger under the elastic, trying to adjust it but still it felt wrong.
    ‘ Beth,’ I called. ‘Is this g-string supposed to feel like it’s… you know?’
    ‘ Yeah, you’ll get used to it.’ Beth and Imogen laughed. I hoped it wasn’t about how I looked in my g-string. It felt like I was flossing my teeth from the wrong end.
    I searched through the bags for my new skirt. I wasn ’t going to think about how much it cost or anything like that. I’d just wear it and enjoy it.
    ‘ You done in there?’ asked Imogen.
    ‘